Princeton School Board Members Receive Ball Complex Project Update

Princeton School Board members received another update regarding their progress in funding the new softball and baseball complex during their meeting Monday night. The project is a collaboration among the Princeton Ball Association, the City of Princeton, and the Princeton School District to find financing for a complex that will include three fields, a parking lot, and a concessions/storage building. An application is being made for a $250,000 match of funding through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The State Parks Department has estimated a time frame will now be fall for final approval and a potential construction starting date. The project’s financing includes a $150,000 matching gift pledge from Judy Derry Mahoney. That pledge matches pledge every dollar-for-dollar up to $150,000. $70,000 has also been donated from multiple individual donors in the past year. A Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association Foundation grant is also explored to finance lighting. There have been over $520,000 in donations, pledges, and grants to this point towards the project.

The Princeton School District has also used a USDA Facilities Grant to help finance a passenger vehicle for the district. The vehicle can transport up to 9 passengers at a time and is thought to be more economic than using larger diesel buses with the transport of smaller groups of students and staff.

Princeton’s board also received an update on summer projects that are scheduled to be done by the end of the year. They include a concrete sidewalk replacement on the north side of the high school that is scheduled for early August. A divider curtain and softball/baseball cage installation is scheduled to be completed by the end of the week. Security cameras are being installed this month. The handrail for the Stacy Center will be installed on the south side of the building prior to the start of the new school year.

Princeton’s board also approved bids for milk from Anderson Erickson and MFA Oil in Princeton for fuel.

Princeton will hold their tax rate hearing at their August meeting.